Sermon: Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up

The theme of our readings: Amos 6:1, 4–7; Ps 146; 1 Tim 6:11–16; Lk 16:19–31, speaks of acting uprightly before God and living as people of integrity and considerate, no matter what the circumstances. We see this as prophet Amos condemns the Israelites of their wanton revelry and godlessness. We get the same observation as Paul exhorts Timothy to lead a life of integrity. And in the Gospel Jesus tells the story of the rich man with the poor beggar Lazarus; just to show us how we may underestimate the power of the smallest act of caring, whereas it has the potential to turn our life around According to this simple but contrast story; the rich man lived in luxury while on his gate was laid Lazarus, a beggar covered with sores. Nobody cared for him. He longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table, but nobody would give them to him. According to the story these two men lived a different life each. But as nature would always have it, both had to die. When it happened the beggar was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. Not because he was poor, but perhaps his condition had taught him a different lesson in life. The rich man died too and ended up in torment where he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. Again, this did not happen simply because he was rich but because his wealth had conditioned him differently. At this point it helps to insist on the fact that the rich man was not condemned merely because he was rich. This would be to miss the point of the story. Nowhere does Jesus condemn someone for his wealth as he does not advocate for the evil of poverty. What Jesus was pointing out was the rich man’s selfish use of his goods and his lack of care for the poor and all those who are less advantaged than him. The lesson that Jesus is giving us is that riches carry with them a certain responsibility, to use them for the service of others. This is a grave obligation where those who have should be considerate to those who have not. But this was not the case, since Lazarus was left to the scavenging dogs which licked his wounds not out of compassion, but because the poor man had no strength to ward these creatures off. The central point of the story is this picture of poverty, destitution and suffering at the door of immense and uncaring luxury. Apparently, the rich man in the story did not do any thing outwardly that was criminal apart from this part of how he treated Lazarus. What is brought home to us here is the great omission in this man’s life. The fact that letter in another life, the man wished that someone from the dead would go back and warn his brethren so that they may repent is a pointer to the fact that he knew it was his own impenitence that had brought him to this fearful end of being found in the place of the lost. The moral lesson we get from this story is essentially on integrity, consideration and kindness. Too often we underestimate the power of the smallest act of caring. Jesus’ story shows us how such a small gesture would have turned the rich man’s life around. It is true that in real life we all have our reasons why we do not go a step to help in different situations. Robert Brault, the famous Senior Business Manager says that there can not be a reason good enough why we should not give a little help: Love your neighbor, and if it requires that you bend your understanding of the truth, the truth will understand. One of the excuses we may give is that we are so bothered by such people as beggars, but that is not so; there are no traffic jams when we go the extra mile! Jesus’ story teaches us that by being charitable to others, we do good to ourselves in the process. According to James Matthew Barrie, a Scottish author, those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. At least it is true that not having any charity in our heart, we get the worst kind of heart trouble and that is why the rich man felt he would have needed to repent. If the man had acted differently by showing some small act of kindness, he would have impressed Jesus as a good character. And a good character is the best tombstone: for those who were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. It is always better to carve your name on hearts, than on marble. In any case, in life, never look down on anybody unless you’re helping him up. Ends